While Trinamul is still working on its response to the Rs 5 rise that the Left has pounced on to attack the UPA government, of which the party is a key member, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the Centre could not be blamed.
“The central government had deregulated petrol prices in June last year. The oil companies now decide on the rise of petrol prices,” he said.
“The oil companies have raised the price in accordance with the price of crude oil in international markets,” Mukherjee further said.
The minister said the Centre could only rein in the prices of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas.
“There is an empowered group of ministers that decide on the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG. We give subsidy of Rs 26 per litre of kerosene, Rs 320 for 14kg LPG and Rs 16 for every litre of diesel,” he said.
The Left Front, which has in the past attacked Trinamul over the rise in prices of essential commodities, will not let go the opportunity to attack the party this time.
“It is clear that the hike of petrol prices was delayed by a few months because of political reasons,” a statement issued by the Left Front Committee, West Bengal, said. The statement urged all Left partners to organise protest programmes demanding a withdrawal of the hike.
Calcuttans will now pay Rs 67.71 a litre for petrol, after the ninth increase since prices were deregulated in June.
Mukherjee, who travelled with Mamata to Delhi this evening, became agitated when asked about the timing of the rise. “You better ask the oil companies this question,” he retorted.